Our Team

Hello again, Waupun UMC! It’s good to be back. Please allow me to reintroduce myself... I am Rev. Renae Dymond, but I haven’t always been a Reverend or a Dymond. I was born Renae Hasenstab many moons ago in Beaver Dam to a young Roman Catholic couple named Lynn and Carleen Hasenstab. I joined my older brother Paul at home and we grew up outside of Burnett at the southern edge of the Waupun school district. I am a graduate of Waupun High School and since then have pursued higher education in various fields which fit for a while but then I felt called to explore other interests. (Some may call this the “school of life”.) I believe all of these experiences prepared me for ministry in many ways as I encountered new situations and matured from a rebellious youth to who I am today. When my husband (Shane) and I were dating, I wanted to get a feel for the denomination he was raised in, so I attended this very church. I was impressed by how welcoming everyone was, but that wasn’t the only reason I fell in love with the United Methodist Church. There were many things that impressed me, but the most welcoming to me was the open table of Holy Communion. When I was told that I (a confirmed Catholic) was welcome to receive the body and blood of Christ at the United Methodist Church... I was sold! Sign me up!

Since then, I have become more and more involved in this denomination by volunteering to serve in many ways. I hungrily joined prayer classes, Bible studies, committee positions, teaching positions, secretarial duties and preaching opportunities (just as many of you do as well). I wanted to learn about God as much as possible and serve God as much as I could.
 

I pray that each of you will be invitational towards your friends, family, neighbors and community members in need of a faith community so that we can continue to be the welcoming church that “sold” me on being a United Methodist over 33 years ago. Together, with our varied interests and involvements in the community, I know that we can be a blessing to others as they seek God’s heart through learning and serving. It is a blessing to be a part of this journey of faith with you all.